New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-16
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OPPOSED.


GENERAL FRY MAKES VIGOROUS PROTEST
AGAINST THIS SYSTEM IN THE ARMY.
General James Fry read paper before the Military
Service Institution yesterday at Governors Island
compulsory Education In the Army" Major -Genera
schoeld called the meeting to order in the old Museum
Building ut o'clock General Frys paper was an elabo.
rate arragnment OF the compulsory system the public
schools from the point of view of lass faire theors
He predicted its failure too, IL adopted In the Army
good deal OF discussion followed, the question
being taken broadly. Among those present
General 7. +. Peterborough. the secretary
of the Institution General Israel vodges General Alex
ander g. Webb, General c. II. Tompkins, General ". W.
Burns, General Horauo c. King Colonel John Hamilton.
Major @. J. Sanger Colonel NJ p. Miller, Colonel 8. b.
Lawrence, and Lieutenant Whistler.
General Fry began by quoting part OF the Adjutant-
Generals report October 1885, which the system
voluntary education for enlisted in the Army was
confessed a failure and change to the compulsory
system was recommended. The idea Of compulson
he said, wrong in both civil military education II
children had to be cOerced into learning they undoubt
eddy had the compulson should from their parents
and not from the State. The establishments Of common
schools by the State for which every pay aud TO
which all children must go, bare assumption or
authority an interneddng with private affairs which to
be effective must be in the long both arbitrary and
vexatious 1t altogether hostile to the feeling OF
personal independence destroying energy and selfrel
on the pretext OF preventing general pauperism
and crime. -
Tho system Of examining and learning BY note Ta vas
opposed sound morality. Compulsory education so far
had prove general morals. Tie compulsory
system, too, great injustice TO many property
owners The speakers father, for instance, had farm
many years in Illinois, on which the annual taxes
amounted Sl6i. But of this $164 hall, S7l,
the public school His father had no children then 10
send school and got return for the heavy assess
ment. But his two Norwegian hired men, who paid 10
taxes sent their children to school at the property
holders expense.
The case FOR compulsory education for enlisted mon In
the Army still weaker. The recruiting oiIce wac the
place q soldiers mental qualifications and 10 weed
out the densely Ignorant The voluntary system had
failed because nsuited the conditions or army fe It's
extra duty and military discipline and occupation A
men into the ranks, and the money for maintaining
school system had better be spent that way. .
General Fry doubted whether the compulsory nlatic-
matics and the rest at West Point all they
thought to be. General Vodges while teaching Ia the
Military Academy, asked one morning by cadet.
Is all that worth !" don't know exactly myself said
the General but II you get red stripe down your
trousers leg, 1t VIII be worth about 500 mouth"
eight papers the subject written by sergean5
privaes In harbOr ports then read Most OF
the writer's opposed compulsory education IL they were
have any teachers, they preferred the officers them
selves
Lieutenant Whistler advocated compulson rather Wig
orousy and Colonel Hamilton thought the Army Too
small for its present duties, without assuming new ones
General King taken aback by General Frys radical
attack on the common school system He defended 10
warmly as the only possible OF keeping the masses
up to a level OF decency and good government General
Webb too spoke a few words IN defence OF the public
schools thought that part Of the discussion rather
IRE eyaut The public school question settled long
ago by people themselves The question 0i educating
Tie Army was quite another one